Life's a Beach

Symi has a portfolio of small unique beaches.  Each is different in character and most can only be reached by water taxi although, in the case of Agia Marina (seen here) and St Nicholas, there are also footpaths for the energetic.

As is typical in these waters, yachts drop their anchors and then take a line ashore so that they don't swing around too much.  The line of red buoys defines the swimming area at Agia Marina.

The little chapel on the island in the bay is dedicated to St Marina and is a popular venue for wedding blessings.

Agia Marina's sophisticated appearance is largely possible due to its sophisticated infrastructure. The beach has a water recycling system which is used to keep the best lawns in the Dodecanese lush and green.  It also has a large sound proofed generator discreetly placed behind the trees on one of the upper terraces that keeps the fridges, freezers, water pumps and so on running.  As the island faces Turkey there is no Greek mobile phone signal so all shopping for supplies has to be carefully planned - no after thoughts! The area to the left is a dining area where light lunches such as tuna carpaccio are served.

Coffee or cocktails.

The pomegranates are swelling. A few more weeks and they will be red.

Agia Marina is one of the few places where the seabed is natural sand, making this a popular place for swimming.

Meanwhile, back in Yialos there were lots of  Turkish motor boats over for the Eid holiday.  If you subtracted the Turkish yachts and gulets from Symi's waters this year, there would not be many boats left.

Master of all he surveys - the cats are starting to look for sunny places as the weather cools off and are as often on top of awnings as beneath.

Another sign of changing weather - dew fall in the early mornings.

A well-fed supermarket cat in Yialos, heading over to me to see if there are any snacks in the offing!